Community Futures offices across Southern Alberta are proud to introduce the 2010 Chinook Entrepreneur Challenge for it’s 6th annual competition, a business planning competition designed to encourage entrepreneurs, small business and start-ups to act on their business ideas, talents and energy.
We are inviting you to join us to celebrate the ingenuity of southern Alberta’s residents. We hope that you will consider being a part of the 2010 Chinook Entrepreneur Challenge team.
As a sponsor, you would be recognized in all of the information and promotional materials disseminated about our contest. Some of the highlights are listed below:
-Media exposure across Southern Alberta
-Identification as a sponsor on the website, posters, brochures, etc
-Business development opportunities
-Community goodwill
-Opportunity to help entrepreneurs
-Access to ideas and technology
-Networking opportunities
-Access to 20+ businesses and agencies
Last year’s competition was a great success and was well received by the southern Alberta business communities. A total of 62 registered participants from six regions took part. We received considerable regional media coverage and featured in numerous print media. Eight business seminars were conducted to assist participants with enhancing their business plans and 17 business plans were submitted, but two exceptional businesses were recognized at the August awards ceremony. Congratulations to Bridge Land & Energy Services of Lethbridge won first place and Family Tree Childcare Services of Hanna was runner-up.
After you review the information enclosed, I would be pleased to follow up with you to answer any questions. Please feel free to contact me at (403) 320-6044 or info@chinookchallenge.com.
Sincerely,
Desirée UnvoasProject Coordinator Chinook Entrepreneur Challenge
Monday, November 16, 2009
Chinook Entrepreneur Challenge 2010
Planning is underway for the 6th Annual Chinook Entrepreneur Challenge.
We welcome any questions at this time regarding the competition and look forward to meeting with you when the program commences in January 2010.
Feel free to email me. My name is Desiree Unvoas and I'm the project coordinator for CEC, you can reach me at info@chinookchallenge.com or 403-320-6044.
We welcome any questions at this time regarding the competition and look forward to meeting with you when the program commences in January 2010.
Feel free to email me. My name is Desiree Unvoas and I'm the project coordinator for CEC, you can reach me at info@chinookchallenge.com or 403-320-6044.
Friday, May 9, 2008
More info...
If you are still having problems with the financial section of your business plan in regards to format, Microsoft offers free templates that are available online at:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/default.aspx
Also, here is the web link to Ceridian, the HR and payroll company that Craig discussed last night:
http://www.ceridian.ca/
And lastly, I will be posting the information booklet, A GUIDE TO RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN ALBERTA'S WORKPLACES, provided by Ty. It will be posted on the
Chinook Challenge website with all the seminar 7 info.
Daniel
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/default.aspx
Also, here is the web link to Ceridian, the HR and payroll company that Craig discussed last night:
http://www.ceridian.ca/
And lastly, I will be posting the information booklet, A GUIDE TO RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN ALBERTA'S WORKPLACES, provided by Ty. It will be posted on the
Chinook Challenge website with all the seminar 7 info.
Daniel
Monday, May 5, 2008
The Interactive Business Planner website link that Mark informed everyone about last Thursday is as follows:
http://www.cbsc.org/ibp
There is also a link on the resource page located on the Chinook Challenge webpage. There is alot of other useful webpages there as well.
Daniel
http://www.cbsc.org/ibp
There is also a link on the resource page located on the Chinook Challenge webpage. There is alot of other useful webpages there as well.
Daniel
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Mentors are coming
Hello,
I am still working at signing up mentors. I have some, but still need some. I apologize and ask for your continued patience.
In light of this weeks seminar I have found some video's that might clarify a few things, and may help out:
I am still working at signing up mentors. I have some, but still need some. I apologize and ask for your continued patience.
In light of this weeks seminar I have found some video's that might clarify a few things, and may help out:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=W72hFB6jLlQ&feature=related – total quality management (tqm) 1
http://youtube.com/watch?v=F9sKtso7t0A&feature=related – tqm 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whTwjG4ZIJg - what to do in presentationshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLpjrHzgSRM&feature=related - what not todo with PowerPoint presentationshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFJg1T2hMk8&feature=related - good and badpresentation examplehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vS6sjc1lQ0&feature=related - really badpresentation
I hope these help.
One more not of importance. May 1st will be my last day as Chinook Challenge Coordinator.
I wish you all luck in your future business endeavors. I will be passing the reigns to Daniel.
If you need to get a hold of him, he will be checking the info@chinookchallenge.com email
regularly.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Some rules, a template, and some personal thoughts
I have had a few questions about the business plans:
1) When is the business plan submission deadline? It is May 29. All business plans are to be submitted May, 29 NO LATER THAN 4:00 PM.
2) What do we need to hand in? You need to submit 15 hard copies of your business plan, an electronic copy, and all the paper work (non-disclosure and participant agreement if you have not already, and the checklist).
3) When will the winner be chosen? There will be updates during screening and judging, however, the winner will be decided July 18th.
Some other thoughts and rants...
1) I posted a link to some financial templates but after reviewing what is there I realized there is not an income statement. www.uschamber.com/sb/business/tools/downloads/incstmt.xlt. This is a link to a great income statement if you need one.
2) Make sure you are working through your business plan. Trust me, they are more work than you think. When I was writing my first business plan, I underestimated the workload. It ended up that I had to pull 2 all nighters in a row to finish it on time for my small business management class. Please, for your sake, start early.
My rants...
I have been reading, because I believe reading is important. I read everything that I think might be interesting or is recommended to me. Someone suggested I read a series of books called "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". I thought it would be another book that preaches the same thing that I have learned throughout university; most of which I do not agree with (but that is another discussion). These books are insightful, tie up many loose ends and answer a majority of the questions that were brought about by my university education.
One thing I found interesting in this book is the author, Robert Kiyosaki, said he asks people trying to start a small business, "can you make a better hamburger than McDonald's?" The answer is obviously yes. It doesn't take much to make a better tasting, healthier burger than a fast food restaurant. It would probably also be less expensive. So why then have they sold billions and billions of hamburgers. It is not the product...It is the system. And, it is not just one system, it is a system of systems. The way all the people helping you say, "Welcome to McDonald's", their logistic system, and most of all, their locations (if you look around, McDonald's has some of the best, most expensive, high traffic locations in the world. A prime example of this is the McDonald's in Edmonton at 6104 109 Street NW. I don't know how they did it, but they built it in the middle of an intersection. I'm not joking, its right in the middle of 2 main roads...They built an intersection around it.) are all different systems. Kiyosaki's message was this: Items, gadgets, widgets, toys, computers, etc. are imitable. Too many times I have heard, "nobody else has this" or, "it is the best product ever and everyone needs one". NO! not everyone needs one otherwise they would already have it. They clearly do not know they want it yet. However, if you can build a system that your business feeds off of, that system can be your advantage. Also, with this system you will be working on your business, and it is more likely that you will not have to spend as much time working in your business. That little word is a huge difference. It could give you more free time and increasing your chances of financial freedom.
I know the stigma surrounding these financial self-help books. However, my philosophy is: knowledge is power. The more you know, the better your chances are of succeeding. So instead of judging, read.
A Final Thought
I was listening to a conversation between 2 people at the university the other day. (I know, its rude it eavesdrop, but I couldn't help it, they were being loud.) I was interested in what they were saying, not because I agreed with it, but because I thought it was incredibly shallow. The two were discussing one of their classmates who seemed to disagree with everything their professor said and seemed to voice his/her opinion way to much. My question to them would be: is it wrong or bad to question what people tell you even if they are "experts"? I think the answer should be no. If nobody did, we would never have anything new.
On the other side of that coin, when you do question and do something new, people will outcast and ridicule you. Change always causes doubt in others. Remember the Theory of Relativity, Gravity, the Sun being the center of the solar system, Evolution, even Physics. Ideas we now consider natural laws, once created such a stir that many of the "inventors" of these ideas, were placed under house arrest or excommunicated from the Catholic Church.
I suppose my final word would be don't judge, keep an open mind, think outside the box, and do not take the words of a cynical to heart. Listen to cynics, learn from them, question them, but don't let their words defeat you.
1) When is the business plan submission deadline? It is May 29. All business plans are to be submitted May, 29 NO LATER THAN 4:00 PM.
2) What do we need to hand in? You need to submit 15 hard copies of your business plan, an electronic copy, and all the paper work (non-disclosure and participant agreement if you have not already, and the checklist).
3) When will the winner be chosen? There will be updates during screening and judging, however, the winner will be decided July 18th.
Some other thoughts and rants...
1) I posted a link to some financial templates but after reviewing what is there I realized there is not an income statement. www.uschamber.com/sb/business/
My rants...
I have been reading, because I believe reading is important. I read everything that I think might be interesting or is recommended to me. Someone suggested I read a series of books called "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". I thought it would be another book that preaches the same thing that I have learned throughout university; most of which I do not agree with (but that is another discussion). These books are insightful, tie up many loose ends and answer a majority of the questions that were brought about by my university education.
One thing I found interesting in this book is the author, Robert Kiyosaki, said he asks people trying to start a small business, "can you make a better hamburger than McDonald's?" The answer is obviously yes. It doesn't take much to make a better tasting, healthier burger than a fast food restaurant. It would probably also be less expensive. So why then have they sold billions and billions of hamburgers. It is not the product...It is the system. And, it is not just one system, it is a system of systems. The way all the people helping you say, "Welcome to McDonald's", their logistic system, and most of all, their locations (if you look around, McDonald's has some of the best, most expensive, high traffic locations in the world. A prime example of this is the McDonald's in Edmonton at 6104 109 Street NW. I don't know how they did it, but they built it in the middle of an intersection. I'm not joking, its right in the middle of 2 main roads...They built an intersection around it.) are all different systems. Kiyosaki's message was this: Items, gadgets, widgets, toys, computers, etc. are imitable. Too many times I have heard, "nobody else has this" or, "it is the best product ever and everyone needs one". NO! not everyone needs one otherwise they would already have it. They clearly do not know they want it yet. However, if you can build a system that your business feeds off of, that system can be your advantage. Also, with this system you will be working on your business, and it is more likely that you will not have to spend as much time working in your business. That little word is a huge difference. It could give you more free time and increasing your chances of financial freedom.
I know the stigma surrounding these financial self-help books. However, my philosophy is: knowledge is power. The more you know, the better your chances are of succeeding. So instead of judging, read.
A Final Thought
I was listening to a conversation between 2 people at the university the other day. (I know, its rude it eavesdrop, but I couldn't help it, they were being loud.) I was interested in what they were saying, not because I agreed with it, but because I thought it was incredibly shallow. The two were discussing one of their classmates who seemed to disagree with everything their professor said and seemed to voice his/her opinion way to much. My question to them would be: is it wrong or bad to question what people tell you even if they are "experts"? I think the answer should be no. If nobody did, we would never have anything new.
On the other side of that coin, when you do question and do something new, people will outcast and ridicule you. Change always causes doubt in others. Remember the Theory of Relativity, Gravity, the Sun being the center of the solar system, Evolution, even Physics. Ideas we now consider natural laws, once created such a stir that many of the "inventors" of these ideas, were placed under house arrest or excommunicated from the Catholic Church.
I suppose my final word would be don't judge, keep an open mind, think outside the box, and do not take the words of a cynical to heart. Listen to cynics, learn from them, question them, but don't let their words defeat you.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Financials
First things first...The material from the first three seminars is on the website under seminars on the bottom right corner of the page.
Second, this will be the last call to sign up for a mentor. The deadline to sign up is this Friday, April 18th.
O.K. I have had a few questions:
1) If we don't attend all the seminars can we still submit a business plan? The answer is yes! The seminars are highly recommended, but we understand that life happens. If you cannot attend some seminars, we will accept your business plan at the end of May.
2) I have had some questions on where there are some financial templates. There is a great website that goes has pretty much ever financial template you will need for a business plan. The site is http://www.score.org/template_gallery.html. If you can't find what you are looking for there, let me know, I'll try and find one for you.
The last thing I will finish up with is a heads up about the next seminar. We are starting to get into business financials. This is one of the most important part of you business plan. Ultimately you business needs to support itself. If, after calculating your market share, you realize that the business is not going to support itself, that is a success. It is successful in that you have not pumped time, energy, and loads of money into a failing venture. All three - time, energy, and money - are finite, and you need to maximize your use of them all. This business plan will help you do that.
Granted we cannot go through everything in depth regarding the financial aspects of business plans in 2 seminars. However, we will go through the essentials. I encourage you to get a good start so if you have any questions for Craig, you can ask them.
Finally, I cannot attend this next seminar. If you have any questions for me specifically, please email me. I will be checking my email periodically over the next 2 days, so I will respond. Mark Fournier will be there to make things go over smoothly. He can answer any questions you may have as well.
Second, this will be the last call to sign up for a mentor. The deadline to sign up is this Friday, April 18th.
O.K. I have had a few questions:
1) If we don't attend all the seminars can we still submit a business plan? The answer is yes! The seminars are highly recommended, but we understand that life happens. If you cannot attend some seminars, we will accept your business plan at the end of May.
2) I have had some questions on where there are some financial templates. There is a great website that goes has pretty much ever financial template you will need for a business plan. The site is http://www.score.org/template_gallery.html. If you can't find what you are looking for there, let me know, I'll try and find one for you.
The last thing I will finish up with is a heads up about the next seminar. We are starting to get into business financials. This is one of the most important part of you business plan. Ultimately you business needs to support itself. If, after calculating your market share, you realize that the business is not going to support itself, that is a success. It is successful in that you have not pumped time, energy, and loads of money into a failing venture. All three - time, energy, and money - are finite, and you need to maximize your use of them all. This business plan will help you do that.
Granted we cannot go through everything in depth regarding the financial aspects of business plans in 2 seminars. However, we will go through the essentials. I encourage you to get a good start so if you have any questions for Craig, you can ask them.
Finally, I cannot attend this next seminar. If you have any questions for me specifically, please email me. I will be checking my email periodically over the next 2 days, so I will respond. Mark Fournier will be there to make things go over smoothly. He can answer any questions you may have as well.
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